ARRIVAL OF THE S.S. LADY BIRD, WITH ENGLISH NEWS TO THE Ist MARCH.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XIX, Issue 1954, 23 April 1864, Page 4

ARRIVAL OF THE S.S. LADY BIRD, WITH ENGLISH NEWS TO THE Ist MARCH.

■ j c .r.M. Co/s Lady Bird, Captain Ren- ; HE arr ive'd in port this afternoon from Sydney, v’mn" English news to the Ist March. She • undergone a thorough overhaul in Sydney and is no '° tts B ood aa a n °" VCSSeI ' Sh<3 Sydney on the morning of the 14 th. instant, 1 erienc'ed very heavy weather from the east, ward during the whole passage and arrived at Kelson on the morning of "the 21st. We are • debted, to Captain Rejiner for a Sydney Herald' of the 14'th inst„ from which take the following telegraphic summary GENERAL SUMMRAY. . London, & 6th February.. Tlie Australian December mails were delivered in London on the 12th and 18th is at Windsor. Her medical advisers have, prohibited her frpm appearing toublio ceremonials.. .This announcement has caused universal .regret . , The Prince arid Princess of Walqg have drived in London, to take part in the festivals of the season.. .... .. parliament was opened ~on 4th February, hy Royal Commission. The, only, item Of importance in the speech related to the complications of tlie Danish question'. The British Government has announced that jt will not endangeV the ./maintenance of .the peace of Europe by rushing into a war in defence of Denmark, but the Government will endeavour to bring about, by Ml, possible means, a pacific solution of the SchleswigHolstein questioh. •_ • • Austria and Prussia have agreed to take part in the Conference proposed by England, without an armistice, to be held in London. France and Russia have agreed to take a part in the proposed Conference on the Danish question. . The English will hot admit the right Of American cruizers to seize British ships when in neutral waters. A bill has been brought into Parliament by Sir George Grey to amend the Penal Servitude Act. In introducing the measure he referred to the alarm which appeared to exist in the Eastern Colonies of Australia at the prospect of a continuance of transportation. This feeling Sir George Grey censured as unreasonable, and he protested against the right of the Eastern colonists to dictate to her Majesty’s Government bn the subject of transportation ; the more especially as the colonists of Western Australia had petitioned for more convicts. The grand jury and of Worcestershire have presented a petition praying for the renewal of transportation to Australia. . . - • i The final decision given by Lord Wfistbuty in the celebrated Essays and Reviews case has caused very great sensation. The Privy Council Committee, through the Chancellor, have established a rule that clergymen may assert that, though the Bible contains the word bf God, all that is in the book is not inspired, or even true, and also that clergymen may be permitted to hope that there will be no everlasting punishment. On the same subject her Majesty has ap pointed a new Commission, whose duty it will be to revise all the various forms of subscription and declaration required of the clergy of the Church of England.

A great mass of correspondence has been published and laid before Pariiameht between Earl Russell and tho American Minister with reference to the proceedings of the Alabama. The Federal Government demands cbmpensation for all losses sustained by the United States through the seizure and destruction of Federal vessels by the Alabama, the ground ■of claim being that she was built and manned by Englishmen. Earl Russell absolutely declines to acknowledge any responsibility; In the Divorce case, re Palmerston, the petitioner declined to proceed with the suit. It has been rumoured that a compromise was effected, the Judge, however, declared that no stain rested upon Lord Palmerston’s fame. Great cheering and enthusiasm was displayed on his entrance into the House of Commons, after the case had been abandoned.

A mass meeting, convened by priests in Dublin, took place, the object of which was to protest against the act of the Corporation of that city in granting a site in College Green for the erection bf a statute Of the late Prince Consort. A,bout 5000 persons were present. The proceedings were very turbulent, and a disgraceful and general fight terminated the meeting. The trade throughout England is very sStis.’ factory. , , ; The distress among the manufacturing pqpu lation of the cotton districts has greatly dimin’ ished, but, on the other hand, feverj in. which scarlatina is the most pro'miiient, is very prevalent in these districts.

The five mutineers of the ship Flowery Lend, were tried; found guilty, ond executed at Newgate. An immense concourse of pc bl pie, estimated at forty thousand, were present on the occasion; . Major-General Cam'efdn has lieeri appointed K.C.B. , in acknowledgement of his services as Commander-in-chief in New Zealand.

In the Australian appeal cases, that from Victofia, Dill v. Murphy and another, was heai’d bbfo.c the Privy Council on the 3nd February. ■■ Their Lofdships dismissed the appeal. In the New South' Wales case, Robertson y. Dumaresq, the Council confirmed the decision of the Court below, with costs. After several abortive efforts on’ the part of the shareholders of the Great Eastern to dispose of that vessel, phe has been at last sold by auction for£Bo,ooo. Reports are current that she will be probably chartered to lay down the Atlantic cable, A ne.tr sclintne has bben started for cdniectlno with tlu' Cohtipent by railway. ..London Skakespeian Committee are close on' disoiutioh.

- OBITUARY. f. , he T b® 7 > Sil? Charles Harding, Bart., Lady a j Lady Louisa Lygbh,' Lucy Aiken, Miss racmiyjMr. Dyce, R.A.,' Mr. Hunt, Dean D.D., Lady Louisa Stewart, The ’ feirrepoint, The Baroness Ruthven, tiv n U u heaa of Qord on. The Hon. R. Petrie, a?? 1 'L'.., ;k enB ’ hir. Potter, M.P., and the of Hereford. . .

London Wool Report.—The market at present is quiet, as. buyerp refuse, to pay advanced prices on tho November rates, preferring to wait for the March sales. The total arrivals to date are 38,125 bales. Owing to the non-arrivul of now wool from Port Phillip, as anticipated, the rates obtained at tho last sales will doubtless be maintained until the end of next month. The trade in the North jB good but not animated.

CONTINENTAL. WAR IN DENMARK. Prussia and Austria having refused the guarantee of England that Denmark would fulfil her engagement under the treaty of London in 1852, while Denmark announced willingness to suspend and annul the Constitution by which Schleswig was made part of Denmark, the Federal troops entered Holstein, without opposition from the Danes, to hold it as a material guarantee for the fulfilment of Denmark’s engagements towards the Duchies. They next demanded the surrender of Schleswig, which, being refused, the Federal forces at once marched upon that Duchy. After some severe fighting the Danes retired to Jutland. Denmark blockaded tho ports of Schleswig and Holstein at the commencement of the month. The Prussians have crossed the Keil at its mouth, burning the Danish position. The Danes abandoned the Danewarke, and Retired to Fleursberg, and thence to Alsen Island After liard fighting and much distress. . On the receipt of the above news at Copenhagen serious riots ensued. The King’s life was threatened by the mob, who accused him of,having German sympathies. General De . Meyer has been recalled. . The Prussians have been repulsed with severe loss in an attack on the Danish entrenchments at Duffel. ... The Austro-Prussian troops entered Jutland And took possession of Holding. . The Prussian Government assert that this Operation was contrary to orders, but the position, being 5f strategic importance, will be retained, ... Thirteen Austrian ships of war have been sent to sea to protect Austrian merchant vessels. . , The minor German States are pffenled with the proceedings of Austria and Prussia on the Schleswig Holstein question, . and have resolved to unite against these Powers, and at once to mobilise their armies. . A revolution or civil war in Germany is therefore in prospect.

FRANCE. February 25th. The leading journals in Paris state that France, in spite of its sympathy for Denmark, should recognise the wishes of the Germans in Holstein, and assert that Schleswig ought to be incorporated with the German nation, and, moreover, that French policy on the Elbe ought not to differ from that which characterised it on the Vistula and Mincio. Should Germany obtain this satisfaction, the other Danish provinces might be united to Sweden, and by this means the entrance to the Baltic would be guarded. The journals further state this course would establish the principle of nationalities, ahd Germany could then apply that principle to Poland and Italy. ~ .INDIA. The British Government have applied to India for six garrison regiments. The In lian Government cad only spare two regiments. Men are being enlisted at Calculta for the American navy. In three rtonths it is expected there will be telegraphic communication. America. . .New York, 13th February. President Lincoln has issued a proclamation for the enrolment of 300,000 men to serve for a period of three years or until the end of the war. The House of Representatives has passed a resolution to confiscate the landed property of the Confederates on fee instead of for life after tlie inaction of both sides. The war shows symptoms of revival, several skirmishes having taken place, in which the Confederates have been invariably successful. General Longstreet, in order to recover ground he lost during last campaign, drove the Federate into Knoxville, taking possession of the French Broad River Valley which contained ample supplies for his army. — Subsequently he attacked Knoxville again in which he Completely defeated the Federal troops; . .In another direction the Federals were compelled t® abandon Tazewell and Cumberland Gap.. On the Mississippi the Confederates seized an island, and took possession of Cbrtnth and Fort Pillow’. At several other places the Confederateshave been also victorious, and on the James River they captured an expedition sent out by General Butler, who had formed a plan for taking Richniond by a coup de main. The Confelerates in advance of President Lincoln’s new levy will probably be before Washington ere the Federal recruits can be got ready for the field.

Bans! Shares.'—There is an improvement in the Bank of New Zealand shares, but a slight reduction qn those of the English, Scottish’; and Australian Chartered Bank. The. New Zealand Government have authorised their agent to sell privately unallotted balances., The first instalment of the Otago Government loan has been partly taken up. LATEST SPECIAL TELEGRAM. . Malta, Ist March. Denmark lias not yet consented to the Conference proposed to be held in London. She demands the previous evacuation of Schleswig by the Austro-Prussian .troops., , , , The Rigsdag and King both declare their resolution to resist the dismemberment., , Colding, in Jutland, is still .held by the Prussians as a guarantee for future compen sation. . . , , . v . ... The English subscriptions for the wounded Danes in the late engagements are rapidly flowing in.. . The Arch Duke Maximilian is expected to arrive in Paris to-morrow (2nd March). The trial of tlie persons implicated in ,jhe ' conspiracy against the'Emperor Louis Napoleon’s life has been brought to , a conclusion. I Grado and Tfabuddo have begn sentenced ,to transportation for life,' and the others to twenty ‘years. , , , . .’.. ’v The'Confederate ram trials have been fixed ito take place in May. , ~ > There is no fresh' American news of importance. . .; ■. - '. ■ > -. ■ Addresses', of congratulation on the birtb of the young Prince have been presented to ; the Queen at Windsor. Arrivals. — Result and Jonu Knox. 1 Consols, 91L